Shall We Duel
by EbonyCircles
Summary: Well it deals some with Meliara and Vandric but mostly with their daughter Tara.
1. Default Chapter

Hi people. Well this certainly isn't my first fanfic but it is my first one that I'm posting here. Well I've been throwing this idea around for a awhile so a nice comment about is it good, bad, or even God woman why did you even write this would be much appreciated. The first chapters are more like background info and for all of you that have read "Beauty" well I haven't so it most likely won't be compatible.  
  
Disclaimer- I don't own anything I wish but Sherwood is a wonderful writer and I wish I was her and owned these wonderful characters but I don't . Oh well.  
  
A small girl ran down hill side. Her blues eyes were sparkling as she ran to her aunt's out stretched arms.  
  
"Tara what have you done to your hair?" Nee asked her six year old niece scooping her up in her arms the girls light blonde hair which that morning had been done in two braids was now poorly cut very short.  
  
"I cut it." Tara replied an innocent smile creeping across her face.  
  
"I can see that but may I ask why you cut it?"  
  
"Because I didn't like it and I wanted it shorter so I cut it." The girl replied shaking her head so that her hair flew in all directions.  
  
"Did you mother say you could cut it?" Nee asked already knowing that answer was no. Mel had left earlier that morning having some urgent business to attend to in the capital. Well Tara hadn't been ready to go yet. So since Nee and Bran always went to the capital for the Mid Summer Eve celebration Meliara had let Tara stay with Nee until they came.  
  
"Well no," Tara replied hanging her head, "Mommy wouldn't let me cut my hair." She looked up at Nee with her big blue eyes.  
  
"Oh no young lady, you got yourself into this you are going to be the one explaining it to your mother." Nee replied setting Tara down, this girl was going to be more then she, Bran, or her parents could control.  
  
"Nee," Bran called coming down the steps from the castle, "have you seen Tara?"  
  
"I right here," Tara cried joyfully running up to her uncle.  
  
"No, Tara is a little girl with long blonde hair and you my dear certainly do not meet that." Bran replied squatting down right in front of her looking Tara hard in the face, "You must be some little child from the village."  
  
"No actually that would be Tara with short hair," Replied crossing to the two.  
  
"No," Bran cried pretending to be shocked. Tara nodded fervently.  
  
"Well how exactly are we going to explain this to Mel and Danric?" Bran asked Nee. They were in the parlor discussing what exactly they should do about Tara cutting her hair.  
  
"Well it's not exactly that big of issue is it? I mean after all its just hair it will grow back."  
  
"Yes that's true, so you think we should just send Mel a letter telling her that Tara cut her hair and there fore be prepared?"  
  
"Yes I think that would be the best thing to do considering the circumstances."  
  
A/N- Well that's the first chapter. Short I know but trust me they get longer and more interesting. The hair thing I dunno why I wrote it. I guess it's cause Mel was so attached to her hair that she would think Tara would too so that's where the whole hair cutting off thing came from. 


	2. Late As Always

A/N- Just a quick one I promise. Well now that you have some background information let me see what Tara can get herself into now? Shall we? Okay people I told you I never read Beauty and I really should come to think of it but this is my rendition of the Sherwood Smith amazing story and you know it really should have hit me about the whole name thing oh well no use crying over spilt milk.  
  
Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! Well I do own things just not this wonderful world that Sherwood Smith has so kindly invented for our entertainment.  
  
Tara's POV  
  
I ran down the slope of the hill late as usual. Honestly you would think my parents would be used to it by now, I mean out of the all the times I've ever had to meet them I more often then not late. So what make this different you might ask? Well I can't tell you all I can say is that I'm late very late.  
  
I ran straight into my cousin Ella in the court yard. She looked me up and down a grin barley in place on her face. Truth be told she was probably more worried about me, "Tara, where have you been?" Yup she was defiantly worried, which can't be good. I didn't slow down my pace but shouted out to her as I ran, "When did they get here?" They of course meaning my parents and any of my siblings who had chosen to come along.  
  
"Oh about second green. But don't worry I think they are just starting to notice that you aren't here." She was running with me. "Tough truth be told I don't think you mother minds as much as your father."  
  
We ran in through the servant's entrance, my parents were defiantly here the narrow hallways were crammed with people running all over. I made my way through the passage ways to my room Ella trailing behind me.  
  
"So what are you going to do?" She asked collapsing on a cushion breathing hard.  
  
"What do you think?" I replied running over to the wardrobe on the other side of the room and pulling out the first dress that I saw. A pale lavender with tiny flowers embroidered with silver along the hem and sleeves. Running behind a screen and throwing off my tunic, kicking off my boots, and pants. Struggling into the dress.  
  
"I think you are crazy, that's what I think," She shot back rising from her place, "Here let me help you." She crossed the room and helping me lace up the gown.  
  
"There I'm ready." I replied taking on last look over the gown.  
  
"Uh Tara no you are far from ready." Ella said trying her best to hide a grin that crossed her face.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Tara your hair is a mess and you have some dirt on your face." She finished barely able to for she was laughing so hard.  
  
"Well," I replied turning to a mirror pulling my hair out of its usual braid grabbing a brush. Pulling it roughly through the tangles in my hair, "I guess I'm not ready then?"  
  
Ella finally recovered enough from her giggles to reply, "Most defiantly not ready." She ran out of them room returning with a piece of cloth and a bowl of water handing it to me "here, I really should be getting back but -"  
  
"You know me to well and couldn't leave your cousin to have all the fun. So where are they this time? Parlor, garden, tower?"  
  
"Library." She replied leaving the room.  
  
Ten minutes late I was again hurrying down the servant's hallway to the library book in hand. I passed several servants who smiled at me they were used to seeing me run down the narrow halls to wherever I was going. I reached the door that led into the library, I paused taking a deep breathe I reached out and pushed the door open a crack. I let out a sigh of relief I could sneak in and not be seen.  
  
Well that is until my oh so wonderful brother happened to be standing just out of my sight behind the door.  
  
"Hello Tara having a good day," he whispered mischievously. I could see him in my mind standing behind me that stupid grin on his face. Yes that was my brother even if he happened to be two years younger and a foot taller then me he seemed to be the only one who could ever catch me.  
  
"Alec it's wonderful to see you again. Now what were you doing behind a servants door? Or do you just like to scare people witless when they come into the room?" I asked turning around to face him smiling.  
  
"Sister really do you think I didn't know exactly where you were and knew exactly where you would be," he answered there was that smile in place, "As for scaring people I figured that you would b the only one coming out of the door. So where were you anyway?"  
  
"I lost track of time as usual and I was just enjoying the last of my summer up in the hills."  
  
"Well what can we expect from Tara?"  
  
"Are our parents angry?"  
  
"You're ignoring the question." He shot back looking hard at me.  
  
"So are you."  
  
"They are perfectly fine really with Uncle Bran and Aunt Nee they haven't missed you quite yet." He answered. He was annoyed but I really didn't care at this point he was still my baby brother and therefore I have a right to annoy him at some point in time.  
  
"Well then I guess we should join them before they miss the both of the us?" I said turning in the direction that voices were coming from. Not waiting for him to answer I made my way over to my parents.  
  
Well I hope you enjoyed the second installment of my story. 


End file.
